"I want to drive." Rhodes announced.

http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h...iac_LeMans.jpg

"I don't know if Stallion will be comfortable in the backseat. We could rent a convertible." said Desiree.

Stallion overheard & opined:

"Kids, I'm a time-traveller, & more horse than any of those things have ever dreamed of being."

"Hop aboard, kids. I need to make a brief stop at Mars, first,
I hope you are up for it." said Stallion

"Why, what's on Mars?" Rhodes whined.

"Go to sleep now." answered Stallion.

Desiree was already dreaming. Rhodes soon followed.

Feeling that familiar, awakened sensation, Rhodes decided to call his mysterious lover, only to discover that Mars has no cell phone service.

Desiree was still able to say,
"I like it here. It's quiet."

Stallion set the Scrabble game before the twins and told them he would be
back in a few whiles.

"How long is a while on Mars?" Desiree asked.

"I guess we'll find out soon enough." Rhodes sighed.

They sat down to play.

Drawing their tiles, they realized it would be a dead heat. Just sitting there, thay'd become exhausted.

Their dreams were very strange.

"We are on Mars now, so having all vowels is a good thing, right?" asked Desiree

Rhodes said, "No, my sister. Words are spelled the same here. Do it delicately, & as if you mean it."

"Okay then." Desiree huffed. She laid down the word, Euouae.

She reached inside the satchel for more letters, while chanting:

"You owe me, you owe me, you owe me."

"I know I owe you, sis. Why do I feel like I made a mistake?"
"Bro! Don't be so hard on youself."
"I wouldn't, but I can't help it."

...........................................................................

Silenus was watching Snoddi and Runni, as they slept.

He chuckled silently, while rummaging through his feather collection.

He pulled out a big, yellow one.

Those exhausted slept on, so he smiled again while thinking, "This one will get them good!"

Snoddi's amply carpeted hind-quarters, glistened russet in the sunlight.

Silenus whistled softly.

"C'mere."

Runni's stirrings momentarily awoke Snoddi.

Snoddi flipped his pillow over in search of the cool side.

Runni lay facing the wall, grinning broadly.

Silenus wove himself further, inside their dreamings.

Stallion felt the disturbance.

"Kids, we've got to go," he said, "Sorry to imterrupt your game."

Stallion had lost track of his brother, Silenus, many moons ago.

He spoke to the stars:

"I recognize his methodical giggle."

Rhodes and Desiree remained silent.

Swept in from out of the modnight blue, they were a little short of breath.

"Don't worry," Stallion counseled, "but don't look, either. They're right over there."

Oh, they looked. Stallion knew they would.

"They are positively blitheful!" Desiree screeched.

"I dunno sis, they appear rather stuporious, to me." Rhodes countered.

"Is that a word even?" she retorted.

"It is now, sis."

"ENOUGH." Stallion snorted. He turned towards Desiree and said:

"Desiree, gather your belongings and your wits. It's time for your Maidenhood Voyage."

Rhodes attended to the three coffee-pots.



"

Desiree was excited.

Rhodes was a little disappointed that he couldn't remember why he had three coffee pots going at the same time.

Runni & Snoddi were drooling, distracted, as the satyr enjoyed their writhings.

Stallion imitated the Terminator:
"I'll be back."

A little while later, after Rhodes had finished serving a pot of coffee,
to each of the Bed-Bounded Ones, he found his sister on the back porch.

"Rhodes, What do I take with me on a Maidenhood Voyage?" Desiree mused.

She was laying on the porch swing. Her toes were alternately grasping and tracing
the patterns of the chain, above her.

Rhodes motioned for her to sit up. "There's room, scoot over."

"Take your maidenhead, & a toothbrush. I'm sure everything else will be provided."

"Ah, bro! Your confidence enforces mine!"

Snoddi & Runni, somewhat enlivened by the coffee & temporarily satyrated, couldn't help but be pleased at their twins' togetherness.

Silenus volunteered to take Desiree toothbrush shopping.

The rest of the crew, spent the afternoon hunting truffles.

Silenus, of course, had ulterior motives. The rest of the crew remembered the mother lode they had partially chopped back at the ranch.
"Does anybody know how to dry this thing?" asked Runni. "I love the fragrance, but I'm droolingmL

Silenus was growing weary.

Desiree pleaded, "I know I'll find the right toothbrush at the next store. It's the same
shade of purple as your skirt, Silenus."

Silenus put his hoof down:

"This isn't a skirt, it's my hair. I'm sure there will be toothbrushes available on your (ahem) cruise ship."

Desiree was a little disappointed, but, as usual, more than a little excited.

Rhodes counseled:
"Sis, I know getting ahold of youself is a little harder, but, by the same token, keeping your head about should be easier. Just relax!"

Silenus pulled himself up by his bootstraps, recognizing that his boots weren't all that pretty, watched the fish for a while longer, & said: "it's time to go now!"

Desiree's entourage finished loading the dinghy for her.

"I'll need some gloves, please. I've never had a turn with oars."

Rhodes wrapped his sister's hands with bandages,
and then helped her step into the boat.

"Fare thee well enough!" the dockside well-wishers encouraged.

As the dinghy beacame smaller in the distance, the land legged ones,
saw Desiree raise her toothbrush, as a last salute,
just before her boat dipped below the horizon.

"Hell, I don't know where to land with this. Did you say where this ferry was headed?"

Desiree rowed and rowed. The repetitive motion began to lull her a sleep happening,
but the glitchy sounds of the oars
occasional squeakings of metal grating on metal, startled and broke the patterns.
The sound of the oars sploosh, if she misgauged
the depth of a stroke, became the new entertainment.

She caught the sound of men singing, about twenty deep swells away.

Soon she was able to see their craft.

"It's round!" she exclaimed.

"I wonder if they might have some gloves, my hands are sore."

As the round tub-like craft came closer, she noticed the occupants were
busy with their back-brushes.

Desiree stood up in the dinghy. She waved her toothbrush wildly, hoping they would take notice.

"Hey!" she cried, "I have good dental hygiene, & can use a back-brush better than any of you guys are doing. Can I come over?"

Desiree caught a whiff of freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

She steered towards the beacon, of the one lit candle.

She lashed her dinghy securely to the side of their craft.

While she was maneuvering one leg into the tub,
one of the occupants said:

"Beware the butcher."

"The butcher doesn't scare me, but the rest of you might, if you get busy. Why am I floating again?"

Desiree felt free in her own brain.

The butcher gave his other two tub mates an eviscerating glance.

"Leave her be." he commanded.

Desiree gratefully accepted the warm strawberry tarts.

Candle man handed her a flask. She swallowed the gentle fire, and asked for a bit more.

Butcher boy arranged the burlap sacks for her to rest upon.

Fear could find no purchase on her.

Desiree, dreamt of sleeping.

Desiree knew what to do, & she really didn't have a choice: Would she swim with the fishes, or for her life?

Rhodes spoke to her in her dream.

"Hey sistario, do you remember when I grew those wings?
I had no idea I could do so until the need arose."

Desiree awoke then, fully awake.

The occupants of the tub, caught only a brief glimpse of Desiree's iridescent
shining back side, as she leapt from the boat.

"Go figure." said the butcher.

The baker shouted, "I knew she was a mermaid, all along."

Desiree quickly found herself surrounded by many new, beneath-like friends.
She frolicked, and thoroughly enjoyed the new twists and turns, of her Maidenhood voyage.

Rhodes made his way back out of dreamland, thinking.
"I'm actually quite lucky, but I feel very alone."

Stallion perceived, from the way-far distance, his foster son's distress & came to offer comfort.

Desiree realized she was in over her head & decided to breathe water, again. Silenus didn't know how to swim, & all the butcher could think about was sausage. The baker hurried back to shore.

Rhodes was saying, "I don't know, officer-I flew & flew, but she turned tail & disappeared."
"That's enough for now, son, but we'll have more questions later," said the big one with the pretty eyes.

Desiree investigated the sound of a wounded brethren.

She knelt beside the quavering beast. His pain and anguish pierced her heart.

The sun was then able to enter the wounds of both.

Healing them, the sun felt renewed anguish, unable to find Desiree, but she appeared, with her tail fin airing, & called out: "Come here, my brother!"

Rhodes quickly flapped in.

"Let's visit somebody who knows quite a bit more about this," he said, "I think his last name is "Love".

Rhodes carried Desiree upon his back for as many miles as it took
for her tail to dry.

Desiree declared, "Hey, I have legs again. Where are we headed for, Brother?"

"You'll see, Dez. I know this guy, he's not a doctor, but he plays one in real life."

"No, I don't," said the doctor, "I try to fix things."

Desiree wanted more: "Then why have we come here, brother?"

"I don't know," Rhodes admitted, "I thought you said you needed a doctor."

Silenus looked around for something hard to slam his forehead on.

He knew there were rocks around, but satyr that he was, he was (!) looking for something else. Fortunately, Snoddi had awoken from his intercoital snooze.

Runni had an inborn penchant for intervening at the most awkward of times.

She was deeply absorbed; applying the finishing embroidery,
upon the aprons she had made for the three of them.

"Aren't they positively festive?" she squealed.

She wore one wrapped around her head - one draped about her shoulders, cape-like,
and the third one was tied loosely around her fulsome belly.

"C'mon guys, pick which one you want."

Having become impatient at their gawking, she threw two at the boys and said, "Make yourselves decent, in case the kids come back! On second thought, give me a few seconds."

Silenus announced:

"I must be really famous, I don't even need to wear sunglasses."

"Their eyes are ill-equipped. Keep moving!" urged Runni, with an aside to Snoddi: "You, too!"

It was once again, time,
for a huge prophecy.

Blinding light accosted them, & they unwillingly withdrew, but Runni asked, "What the hell is that? Silenus, you should know!"

"Fresh writers, come forward!"
http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h...t_bullhorn.gif



"Yes, please, I agree!"

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All the characters stood stock-still... awaiting input.

"Well, given that dousing, sis, I'm reasonably fresh," said Rhodes, "but given that nobody else seems to have heard, we must carry on. -are those barnacles on your butt?"

"Stop making fin!" Desiree snorted, "They're remoras."

Stallion roared up over the hill, (with his speakers blaring)
to once again save the twins from themselves.

"Sis, it's Mom-Horse. We'd best listen!" gasped Rhodes.

"Well, we do owe him something," agreed Desiree, "Should we gallop up to meet with him?"

Stallion set the speakers down.
He sat on them,
and waited.

Rhodes & Desiree both thought he looked a little funny, sitting on his haunches like that, & shared a giggle.

Stallion said, "Can't I take a rest in whatever position feels comfortable to me?" & then queried: "How did you get here? Rhodes, why did you let your sister become a mermaid & get remoras stuck to her ass? Desiree, what's up with your tail, & where are your really prurient parents?"

Rhodes chuckled and replied: " I think you could find them somewhere
still in close proximity to your brother, Silenus, don't' ya' think?"

Stallion rose, snorted, & disappeared. The twins knew this might happen, but felt their connection remained.

"Did you have your voyage yet, sis? How was it? Shouldn't we do something about those remoras?"

"Idiot," she snapped, "we'll just throw them back into the water & try to hail a cab."

"why are you so touchy Dez?" Rhodes looked concerned.

Desiree said, "I loved my maidenhood voyage beneath the sea,
but Rhodes, there wasn't a Merman to be found anywhere. I was sorely dissapointed."

"I'm glad you're not sore in other ways, sis; I hear those mermen can be dreadful lovers."

"But bro, I was so looking forward to all the things I had imagined!"

"Don't worry, you're beautiful; you'll get your chances."

Desiree watched her thought bubble form.

"I recall Silenus mentioning he had this cousin...." she trailed off.

Rhodes took some time deciding, whether to shoot her a glance,or not.

He shot her a glance, bur when she shot one back, he reconsidered.

"The neighbors are still out back, loudly discussing healthcare reform," he said, querulously, "Maybe we should join them?"

"We have some of that special dip left, don't we? I think we are out of chips though;
what else could we bring?" asked Desiree.

"Our witty repartee. Don't give me any shit about the French, sis."

"Hell, bro', I know about you."

"Let's trot on over, then, shall we?"

Silenus smoothed out his skirt, & carried the dip. Stallion brought up the rear.

Desiree kept her eye on the cousin of Silenus;
He followed, staying three trees behind them,
always in shadow.

"See how he is?" She whispered.
"Yeah, I know. He's been following us for quite some ineffective time. Maybe we should tell him to fuck off?"
"I don't think so, Rhodes. He might have something important to say, & worth hearing."

Desiree caught sight of the patio lanterns, dancing to the music and breezed by the wind.
"Look, we are almost there!" she cried.

Rhodes tugged at her shirt and said, "No, wait. I don't hear him. Let's backtrack a bit,
something tells me to."

Desiree aquiesced.

They found him a block and a half behind.

The cousin of Silenus was tired of pretense.
The cousin of Silenus was just plain tired.

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"Should we disturb him?" Rhodes whispered.

"I'm not sure that we could," Desiree whispered back.

Rhodes yawned and sank to the ground. "I think I'll rest for a spell, Dez."

Desiree pursed her lips, but then remembered that ladies carry hand-bags. "Silenus, you might provide some advice, or at least a little comfort!"

"I can do both," he assured her. "Your parents are nearby, & buckskins wear themselves out more quickly than bays - let your brother sleep. ...meanwhile..."

Desiree started....and looked up. "What or who is causing such a racket?"

Stallion parted the branches and was peering down at them. He was perched uncomfortably,
in the cottonwood tree.

"I have the oddest inexplicable urge to roost. I'm not built for climbing trees.
Sorry for all the noise."

"You come down from there right now!" Desiree exclaimed, "You are not a sheep! Are you pregnant again, horse-mom?"

"I don't think so," Stallion said as he alighted, "I haven't given any reproductives any rides lately."

Silenus coughed twice and hiccupped once.

This was the signal, The Cousin Of Silenus, was waiting for.

"Yeah, right," he cleared his throat. "I was having a perfectly wonderful siesta & you want to drag me into THIS? I am no longer your cousin, Silenus; the family secrets remain intact, but I need another nap."

"He's a mouthy little bitch, isn't he?" asked Stallion.

Silenus looked at his watch and replied:

"He's always like this when the moon is waning crescent and only 6% illuminated."

Rhodes was aroused. "Cool watch you have there, uncle. May I take a closer look?"

"Of course, you buckskin, just be careful not to break it!"

Unable to read the output, Rhodes threw the watch back at Silenus. "Are you trying to trick me?" he asked, but felt his quickening response.

"Don't worry about that," said Silenus, glancing down. "It's perfectly natural, for someone your age.'

Desiree offered some fresh grapefruit juice to her brother.

Rhodes thanked her kindly for the refreshing liquid.

"Let's take the dogs and ourselves for a run and a swim, shall we?"

Desiree nodded in agreement and replied: "I have a pocketful of excellent skipping stones,
I've been longing to use. There are plenty here for both of us."

"Good work, sis, let's go. We don't need these satyricals, to have fun."

The dogs were yippy yowly nipping at heels grateful; happy to be a pack again,
anticipating all that would entail.

Stallion watched them head for for the lake, and cried to himself softly:

"About damn time. Sheesh, I need a tissue."

Stallion, as you can imagine, was not one given to such outbursts, & immediately called his psychiatrist.

The kids frolicked in the surf for quite some time before they said, both @ the same time: "Where did these dogs come from?"

It was another bonding moment.

Merrick and his brother Louden, waited patiently.
Slaveringly patient.
Their eyes afixed on the stick that Rhodes held above his head.

Rhodes twitched a throwing muscle. Louden bolted in anticipation.

Merrick kept his eye on the ball.

Rhodes cupped his scrotum, just in case.

Desiree whooped, "Good dog! Bring it here."

Louden brought her the stick.

Desiree took the stick and broke it in half across her thigh.

"Fetch!" She called & threw the halves simultaneously, in different directions. The dogs gave each other a look, decided, & took off for their selected pieces.

Merrick decided that Louden's stick looked best.

They tugged and growled. Louden worked his mouth closer to Merrick's end of the stick.

Merrick turned and leaned his massive shoulder into Louden's side.

Rhodes nodded his head with vicarious joy, then said:
"I love to watch their horseplay."

"Sis, I still don't know where these dogs came from, but I really enjoy watching them play."

"That's because you're one of them, Rhodes," Desiree said, without rancor.

Stallion whistled for Runni and Snoddi's attention.
He made two pots of strong coffee, and rolled out the dough for the pecan buns.

It was going to be a long few days.

Merrick and Louden lay next to each other, on the rug.
Their vigilant eyes, fixed upon the door.

Runni shaped the dough pieces, sprinkled them with cinnamon, allspice and sugar,
and nestled them in the baking pan.
Snoddi paced the floor. Stallion handed him a bowl of peas to shell.

The oven was almost hot enough.

Louden and Merrick relaxed their guard, sensing the return of Rhodes and Desiree.

Desiree looked at her pruny fingers and toes.

"We were in the lake a lot longer than I thought, weren't we Rhodes?"

Rhodes nodded his head and replied, "I'm hungry, I smell cinnamon, let's go home, shall we?"

"I'm with you. I hope Silenus doesn't beat us there - you know how he loves nuts & spice."

"Yeah, especially his own."

"Kinda like you."

"Race ya!"

Giggling and sweaty, Rhodes and Desiree scrambled up the porch stairs.
Rhodes touched the screen door first.

The dogs were yipping and twirly dancing. Stallion shouted from the kitchen:

"We're in here! Come and get them while they're still warm."

Rhodes noticed Silenus first and nudged his sister. "What's he doing?" Dez whispered.

"I'm making a pitcher of Tang, sweetlings. It's delicious when mixed with pomegranate
juice. Want some?" Silenus kept stirring.

Rhodes raised an eyebrow. "Tang?"

"I'm not a history teacher - just taste it," Silenus said, offering them both a glass, "but I'll give you a hint: Be happy you're under the influence of gravity."

The twins looked at each other quizzically.

Runni & Snoddi shared a glance.

"Here're your rolls, kids," said Runni, smiling indulgently as she handed them their plates, while marveling at the mysteries of life.

"Hey!" Silenus said, "When do I get mine?"

"Later," Snoddi replied, "In the meantime, have a cinnamon roll. May I have some of that Tang?"

The six of them gathered at the table. Pleasantries were exchanged.
The butter was passed back and forth.

Louden and Merrick were busy under the table, chasing the copious amount of crumbs
that were accidentally and purposely dropped.

The Cousin Of Silenus was pretending to be a door stop.

Merrick wandered over towards the immobile figure, and just as he began to lift
his leg, Desiree raised her voice a few notches and blurted out:

"Runni, what are the chances of becoming pregnant if you've only had sex one time?"

Snoddi's butter knife clattered to the floor.

Rhodes inhaled a small amount of Tang into his lungs.

Stallion noticed that Merrick was about to urinate on The Cousin Of Silenus.
"NO!" he screamed.

Runni pleaded, "Calm down Stallion, please, she simply asked a question."

Rhodes began to laugh through his coughing fit.

Snoddi hid under the table pretending to look for the butter knife he dropped.

Silenus calmly buttered another bun.

Merrick jumped back with a yipe, when he saw the sombrero begin to twitch.

A yawn the size of Mexico came from beneath the hat, &: "Your chances depend upon your place in your period, if you're normal, but consider your genesis. That could make things different for you. Snoddi, I think you would do well to consider where the twins came from, too, & quit blushing. It doesn't become you. Merrick, go outside. I need another nap."

They all looked @ each other, mouths agape.

"I told you he was a mouthy little bitch," said Silenus, spreading more butter on his bun, "but I never said he couldn't make sense."

Silenus glanced at his watch and continued:

"One more day of relative peace and quiet, folks. Just so ya' know."

Moments ticked ticked ticked. Snoddi was the first to ask, "What...why?"

Silenus looked troubled.

"Is something wrong?" asked Desiree.

"Yes there is. I am in dire need. These damn Pecans.
Where do you keep the dental floss?"

Wanting to hear more about The Cousin,
Snoddi handed Silenus a toothpick, lied and said, "This will have to do, it's all we have."

Silenus stuck the toothpick into the butter before using it and replied:

"I will reward your attempt at subtlety, Snoddums."

Tick tick tick. " It's a Mercury thing. Retro."

"Fashion?" Desiree interjected.

Rhodes said, "That's where the Tang came from, right?"

Silenus waved their noise away.

"After tommorow, my Cousin will not sleep until the day after...the 25th of December."

Tick tick tick.

Snoddi, ever sensitive to such things, suddenly exploded:
"Desiree, I need to know your motive for asking your question!"
Runni kicked him under the table, rubbed his knee in apology, & continued: "I've always found the orbits confusing, Silenus - can you make them clearer for all of us?"

The Cousin Of Silenus, now fully alert, crawled up onto his booster seat and joined them at the table.
"Excellent", he said, as he hungrily eyed the spread before him. "There are plenty of Pecan buns left.
Please pass the butter & do we have any maple syrup in the house?"

Stallion went to the kitchen and fetched not only the syrup, but a few of
The Cousin's other favorites as well, knowing he hadn't eaten for a long time.

Desiree noticed Snoddi's inquisitive gaze was still upon her so she decided to flesh out
her earlier question, for all concerned.

"Sometimes it feels like there is a small frog in my lower belly. It flutters and wiggles
once in awhile. It's a funny feeling."

Rhodes asked, "Is this different than that time we took that silly dare,
and we each swallowed a goldfish?"

"Yes," said Desiree.

"But you said there were no mermen, sis."

The Cousin of Silenus piped up: "Perhaps it's parthenogenesis. Stranger things have certainly happened in this family."

Stallion snorted, Runni looked quietly satisfied, Snoddi started to blush again, & Silenus snagged another pecan roll as Rhodes put a supportive arm across Desiree's shoulders.

"I'm happy for you sis, & this also means I'm going to be an uncle!" Rhodes encouraged.

Runni gently asked Desiree about the people she had met during her Maidenhood voyage.

"before I became a mermaid, there were these three fellows in a round boat."

Desiree hestitated & went silent.

The Cousin of Silenus couldn't keep quiet. "Well, if you do happen to pop out a little frog baby, do you want us to have a princess standing by?" he bluntly stated,
"and that reminds me to ask, do we have any Poptarts in the house? I prefer the plain
grape flavored ones. I really do."